Watch case opener



July 25, 1961 c. G. scoTT WATCH CASE OPENER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 22, 1957 INVENTOR Cf/FLS G. 56077;

ATTORNEY 2 g 5 M l July 25, 1961 c. G. scoTT 2,993,394

WATCH cAsE OPENER Filed om. 22, 1957 2 sheets-sheet z n 6g I 75? M j 621i? sgg 9 @6- D ja fz/@a l l /95 .9a 50 gg ja INVENTOR ff/7,?E5 6.56077;

BY MM5 M ATTORNE United States Patent G 2,993,394 WATCH CASE OPENER Charles G. Scott, 714 Birch St., Kingsport, Tenn. Filed Oct. 22, 1957, Ser. No. 691,668 Claims. (Cl. 816) This invention relates to tools for repairing horological instruments and more particularly to a device for opening and closing the case of a water-proof watch.

It is the object of the invention to provide a watch case opener which is universally adapted for opening all types of' water-tight watch cases.

It is another object of the invention to provide a watch case opener having means for clamping the w-atch case in a fixed position and a chuck arrangement for opening and closing the watch case.

It is another object of the invention to provide a watch case opener as described above in which the chuck is arranged to receive adapters for handling various types of watch cases.

These and other objects of the invention will become more readily apparent from the following detailed description of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. l is an elevational view of the invention;

FIG. 2 is la cross sectional view through the center thereof;

FIG. 3 is a dissembled view of the chuck jaw and adapter arrangement;

FIGS. 4 and 5 are elevational views at right angles to each other of another adapter member;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the invention;

FIG. 7 is a cross sectional fragmentary view of the invention;

FIG. 8 is an elevational view partly in section showing a push out adapter; and

FIG. 9 is a cross sectional view taken along lines 9-9 of FIG. 6.

The tool consists of a yoke 10' having arms 12 and 14 pivotally mounted on pins 16 and 18, Fixed to the yoke is a tube 20 having external threads 22 and having a smooth internal bore 24 as shown in FIG. 2. Threaded onto the tube 20 is an expansion nut or cam 26 having a knurled flange 28 and a con-ical cam surface 30. Surface Si) is engageable with feet 32 and 34.

At the opposite ends of arms 12 and 14 are inwardly facing surfaces 36 and 38 which are curved to receive a watch casing as shown in FIG. 2. The upper and lower edges of the surfaces 36 and 38 are also curved as shown at 40 and 42 in FIG. 6.

As shown in FIG. 2, the inner surfaces of the arms 12 and 14 are recessed at 44 to receive one end of the spring 46. The yoke is recesssed at 48 to receive the other end of the spring 46. The location of the spring is on the side of pivot pins 16 and 18 rernote from feet 32 and 34 in order to urge the feet into engagement with the conical surface 301 of expansion nut 26.

A rod 50 having a handle 52 fixed by suitable means such as a screw 54 to one end thereof is disposed in tube 20. An adjusting or thrust nut 56 is threaded to the rod 50. The nut 56 has a peripheral groove 58 engaged by a pin 68 threaded in the yoke 10 in order to fix the nut 56 against axial movement while permitting rotary movement. A cover plate mounted Ion the end surface of yoke 10 could also be used to retain the nut 56.

A chuck 62 is fixed to the end of the rod 50 remote from the handle 52 so that the chuck is located between the arms 12 and 14 in position to engage a watch casing 37.

As shown in FIGS. 6 and 8, the chuck consists of a chuck plate 66 having an annular recess 68 which receives an annular boss 70 fixed on a knurled adjusting disk 72. The plate 66 has radial slots 74, 76, 78 and 80* which receive chuck jaws 82. A spiral tooth 81 projects above the surface of boss 70. Cooperating teeth 83 are formed on the lower surface of chuck jaws 82 and interengage with spiral tooth 8l. A split ring 86 secures the disk 72 to the plate 66 while permitting the disk to rotate. The rotation of disk 72 with respect to plate 66 causes spiral tooth 81, meshing with teeth 83v on jaws 82, to drive jaws 82 radially inwardly or outwardly depending upon the direction of rotation of disk 72. Thus the jaws can be adjusted to accommodate watches of differing sizes.

Also to accommodate various makes of watches, the slots 74, 78 and 80 are arranged 120 apart and the slot 76 bisects slots 74 and 78. By shifting chuck jaws with respect to the various slots, Watch casings having various configurations on the backs thereof can be accommodated.

As shown in FIGS. 3, 4, 5, and 8, the chuck can receive adapters so that all types of back casings can be accommodated. In FIG. 8, a cup-shaped member having a cylindrical stem 91 and rotatable sleeve 92 is received in the chuck. This adapter is used for push-out casings, sleeve 92 being gripped in the chuck jaws. Since sleeve 92 rotates on stem 91, the rotation of rod 50, during the pushing out step, will not rotate cup-shaped member 90.

In the adapter arrangement of FIG. 3 a jaw 82 has a recess 94 for receiving a pin 96. The pin is used to engage the backs of watches having a plurality of recesses around the periphery thereof in the manner shown in FIG. 2.

Attachable to the jaw 82 is another type of adapter 98 having a pin engageable with recess 94. Depending flanges 102 engage the sides of the jaw 82 to prevent rotation of the adapter. The adapter has a curved surface 104 which is serrated along the marginal portion thereof to engage either knurled or nut-like backs of watch casings.

In operation, the proper adapter having been applied to the chuck, the watch is clamped between surfaces 36 and'38ofarrns12 and 14 by turning down the expansion nut 26. 'Ihe engagement of the watch in this manner is illustrated in FIG. 2. By turning the handle 52 with respect to the adjusting nut 56, the chuck 62 can -be brought up close to the back of the watch. At this point, the handle 52 is held against rotation and adjusting nut 56 is rotated to move the chuck into engagement with the back, also as shown in FIG. 2. If the chuck jaws 82 are not radially positioned for proper engagement with the watch back, knurled disk 72 on the chuck can be rotated to move the chuck jaws radially in or out to .the proper position. When the chuck is in engagement, rotation of the handle 52 will unscrew the back of the watch casing. In reassembling the watch similar steps are performed, the last step being the rotation of handle 52 to tighten the back on the casing.

In the event that the watch casing is of the push-out type, the adapter 90 is set in plate 66 of the chuck and jaws tightened against sleeve 92 and the handle is rotated until the adapter engages the rface of the casing. Continued rotation of the handle forces the rim oft of the main part of the casing. Also by turning the watch with back side to the pushing adapterthe case can` be closed by same procedure as in opening.

In a Ygeneral manner, while there has been disclosed in the above description, what is deemed to be the most practical and efiicient embodiment of the invention, i-t should be well Aunderstood that the invention is not limited to such embodiment as there might be changes made in the arrangement, disposition and form of the parts Without departing from the principle of the present invention as comprehended within the scope of the accompanying claims.

I claim:

l. Apparatus `for removing the backs from watches comprising, a yoke having internally threaded central bore opposed gripping arms pivotally moun-ted intermediate their ends to said yoke, one pair of the ends of said arms having a surface for clamping a watch in iixed relation to said yoke, an externally threaded tube iixed to said yoke andextending between the other ends of said arms, an expansion nut threaded on said tube and engageable with said other ends of said arms to pivot said arms to clamp said watch, an adjusting nut rotatably mounted on said yoke, means restraining said adjusting nut against axial movement, said adjusting nut having an internally threaded bore, a rod extending through said tube and being axially slidable with respect to said tube, said rod being threaded in. said adjusting nut, a Watch back engaging chuck mounted on one end of said rod and located adjacent the watch clamping surface of said arms, and handle means on the other end of said rod for rotating said rod.

2. Apparatus for removing the backs from watches comprising a yoke, opposed gripping arms pivotally mounted on said yoke for movement toward each other, the ends of said arms having curved surfaces for clamping a watch in iixed relation to said yoke, `a back engaging adjustable chuck to remove and replace a watch back, a chuck mounting member mounted on said yoke -for rotational movement `and axial movement toward and aw-ay from a watch clamped inthe ends of said arms, said chuck being mounted on the lend of said member adjacent the curved surfaces of said arms.

3. Apparatus for removing the backs from watches comprising a yoke, opposed gripping anns pivotally mounted intermediate their ends to said yoke, oneV pair of the ends of said arms having ya curved surface for clamping a Watch in xed relation to said yoke, a cam mounted on said yoke and having a surface tapering toward the other pair of ends of said arms, said cam being movable toward the other pair of ends of said armsfor engagement therewith `to cause the pivoting of said arms to clamp a watch, a back engaging adjustable chuck for removing "a watch back, Ia rod mounting said chuck to 4 said yoke between said arms for movement into and out of engagement with a watch back, said rod being rotatable to effect rotation of said chuck and watch back.

4. Apparatus for removing the backs from watches comprising -a yoke, opposed gripping yarms pivotal-ly mounted intermediate their ends to said yoke, one pair of the ends of said arms having a surface for clamping a watch in fixed relation to said yoke, an externally threaded tube xed to said yoke land bisecting the other ends of said arms, a conical cam lthreaded on said tube and engageable with the other ends of said `arms to pivot said arms to clamp said watch, a back engaging chuck for removing and replacing a watch back, `a rod mounted in said tube for axial and rotational movement, said chuck being mounted at the end of said rod and between the other ends of said arms, whereby said chuck can be moved into engagement with a watch back and thereafter rotated -to eieot removal of said watch back.

5. Apparatus `for removing the backs from watches comprising a yoke, a Watch clamp on said yoke for clamping :a watch in fixed relation to said yoke, an internally threaded nut rotatably mounted in said yoke, a rod threaded in said nu-t, a watch back enga-ging chuck mounted on said rod adjacent said watch clamp, said rod and nut being relatively rotatable to move said chuck into and out of engagement with a watch secured in said clamp, said rod and chuck being rotatable to effect removal of a Watch back when said chuck is in engagement therewith.

References Cited in the ile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 706,531 Couch et al Aug. 12, 1902 864,226 Blodgett Aug. 27, 1907 1,602,704 Renari Oct. 12, 1926 2,162,445 Richel June 13, 1939 2,399,536 Baum Apr. 30, 1946 2,696,988 Pealer Dec. 14, y1954 2,765,176 Hayward Oct. 2, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 278,050 Switzerland Sept. 30, 1951 419,927 Italy Apr. 11, 1947 909,896 France Mar. 21, 1945 

